Sedum plant named ‘Nonio’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Sedum  plant, ‘Nonio’ that is characterized by its foliage that emerges green in color and suffused with red-purple towards the apex and margins and matures to green centers with red-purple margins, its flowers in early summer that are purple-pink in color and emerge from flower buds that are pink in color, and its dense, very low-growing plant habit.

Botanical classification: Sedum spurium.

Variety denomination: ‘Nonio’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Applications bythe same Inventor and pertain to plants derived from the same parentage,the Applications are entitled Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonov’ (U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 12/660,465), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonob’ (U.S.Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,436), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonol’(U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,411), Sedum Plant Named‘Noned’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,478), Sedum PlantNamed ‘Nonog’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,437), SedumPlant Named ‘Noner’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/660,492),Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonet’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.12/660,479), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonia’ (U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 12/660,438), Sedum Plant Named ‘Nonef’ (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 12/660,502).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sedumplant, botanically known as Sedum spurium ‘Nonio’ and will be referredto hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Nonio’. The new cultivar of Sedumis a hardy herbaceous perennial grown for use as a landscape andcontainer plant and is particularly suitable as a groundcover.

‘Nonio’ was discovered in March of 2005 as a naturally occurring wholeplant mutation at the Inventor's nursery in Nunica, Mich. as a singleunique plant in a containerized block of 100,000 seedlings of Sedumspurium ‘Voo Doo’ (not patented).

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stemcuttings in Nunica, Mich. in June of 2007. Propagation by cuttings andcrown division has determined the characteristics to be stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes incombination distinguish ‘Nonio’ as a unique cultivar of Sedum.

-   -   1. ‘Nonio’ exhibits foliage that emerges green in color and        suffused with red-purple towards the apex and margins and        matures to gray-green centers with red-purple margins.    -   2. ‘Nonio’ exhibits flower buds that are pink in color.    -   3. ‘Nonio’ exhibits flat-topped, rounded inflorescences with        flower that are purple-pink in color and present in early        summer.    -   4. ‘Nonio’ exhibits a dense, very low growing habit with foliage        that reaches about 3 inches in height.

The parent plant, ‘Woo Doo’, differs from ‘Nonio’ in having foliage thatis maroon and green-tinged in color and in having pinkish purpleflowers. ‘Nonio’ can be compared to other cultivars of Sedum spurium(all are un-patented) which differs from ‘Nonio’ in the followingcharacteristics; ‘Album Superbum’ differs in having green leaves andwhite flowers, ‘Bronze Carpet’ differs in having variable green/maroonleaves and deep pink flowers, ‘Coccineum’ differs in having green leavesthat are flushed with red under cool temperatures and crimson redflowers, ‘Dragon's Blood’ (syn. Schorbuster Blut') differs in havingmedium green leaves to green with red margins and red flowers,‘Elizabeth’ differs in having variable green or maroon leaves and pinkflowers, ‘Fuldaglut’ differs in having green and maroon leaves and rosyred flowers, ‘John Creech’ differs in having green leaves and pinkflowers, ‘Red Carpet’ differs in having red leaves and pink flowers,‘Roseum’ differs in having green leaves and pink flowers, ‘Royal Pink’differs in having green leaves and pink flowers, ‘Summer Glory’ differsin having green leaves and pink flowers, and ‘Tricolor’ differs inhaving leaves that are green with white edges and pink flowers.

‘Nonio’ can also be compared to other cultivars that arose as a wholeplant mutation of ‘Voo Doo’; ‘Nonol’, ‘Noner’, ‘Nonia’ and ‘Nonef’.‘Nonol’ differs from ‘Nonio’ in having foliage that is green in colorwith red margins, in being slightly smaller in height, and in havingflowers that are lighter pink in color. ‘Noner’ differs from ‘Nonio’ inhaving foliage with green centers and bright red margins and in havingflowers that are less purple in color. ‘Nonia’ differs from ‘Nonio’ inhaving leaves that are less rounded in shape, leaf margins that aredarker and maroon in color and in having flowers that are less purple incolor. ‘Nonef’ differs from ‘Nonia’ in having foliage with greenercenters when mature, having flowers that are less purple in color and inbeing slightly taller in height.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Sedum. The photographs weretaken May (non-flowering) and July (flowering) of 2 year-old plants of‘Nonio’ as grown in the ground in full sun in Nunica, Mich.

The photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates the foliage of ‘Nonio’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a view of the flowers of ‘Nonio’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a top prospective and illustrates theplant habit of ‘Nonio’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Sedum.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar as observedon 2 year-old plants of ‘Nonio’ as grown in the ground in full sun inNunica, Mich. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2001 R.H.S. Colour Chart of TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general colorterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—The last two to three weeks of June to the            first or second week of July in Michigan.        -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, dense, low growing habit,            mature plant sprawl from central crown with procumbent stems            rooting as they contact the ground.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 3 inches in height            (foliage) and about 6 inches in height in bloom, maximum            spread in about 2 feet.        -   Hardiness.—Reliable hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 4B to 7B.        -   Disease and pest.—No susceptibility or resistance to common            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous and also readily produced at stem            nodes.        -   Propagation.—Stem cutting spring through summer and crown            division throughout the year.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem shape.—Round.        -   Stem size.—3 to 4 inches in length and about ⅛ inch in            width.        -   Internode length.—Ranges from ⅛ to ¼ inch.        -   Stem color.—185B.        -   Stem surface.—Glabrous.        -   Branching habit.—Well-branched.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Rounded becoming elliptic to oblanceolate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Leaf base.—Broadly cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Broadly acute to obtuse.        -   Leaf venation.—Not conspicuous, color matched leaf color.        -   Leaf margins.—Crenate to serrated with apex of young leaves            papilose-ciliate.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf presence and orientation.—Emerge upright becoming            nearly horizontal.        -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous, waxy and semi-glossy on upper and            lower surface.        -   Leaf color.—Young leaves, upper and lower surface; 139C and            suffused towards margins with 187B, margins 187B, mature            foliage upper and lower surface; 139C with thin margin of            187B.        -   Leaf size.—Young leaves; an average of ¾ inch length and            5/16 to 7/16 inch in width, mature leaves; an average of ¾            inch in length and ¾ inch width.        -   Petioles.—⅛ in length, 1/16 in width, 139C in color, surface            is glabrous.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Dense, flat-headed cymes with 4 forked            branches.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 2½ inches in width and            depth.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About one month.        -   Flower type.—Perfect, spreading, 5-starred.        -   Flower number.—40 to 50 flowers per cyme.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower buds.—Conical in shape, about ⅜ inch in length and            3/16 inch in diameter, ribbed surface, 184C in color.        -   Flower size.—About ⅛ inch in length and ⅜ inch in diameter.        -   Peduncles.—Round, range from 1½ inch to 2 inches in length,            ⅛ inch in width, 183D in color, glabrous surface.        -   Pedicels.—Round, range from ⅜ inch to 1 inch in length, 1/16            inch in width, 183D in color, glabrous surface.        -   Sepals.—5, spreading, ovate to lanceolate in shape, about ⅜            inch in length and ⅛ inch in width, 183B in color on both            surfaces, entire margin, acute apex, truncate base, glabrous            surface on both surfaces.        -   Petals.—5, spreading, lanceolate in shape, truncate base,            acute apex, entire margin, color of inner and outer surfaces            is 61A, glabrous surfaces on both surfaces.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistils.—5, held erect, about ⅜ inch in length, stigma 1/32            inch in width and 61B in color, styles ¼ inch in length and            61B in color, ovary 1/10 inch in diameter and 62D in color.        -   Stamens.—10, about ⅜ inch in length, style 62B in color,            anther 155A in color, pollen is sparse in quantity and N57A            in color.        -   Fruit.—Rounded with pointed tip, aggregate, range from 1/16            inch to ⅛ inch in length and ¼ inch in width, 62A in color,            seed production was not observed.

1. A new and distinct variety of Sedum plant named ‘Nonio’ as describedand illustrated herein.